ActiveCampaign has become one of the leading marketing automation platforms, praised for its comprehensive features, user-friendly interface, and robust email marketing capabilities. For small to medium-sized businesses, it’s a go-to solution for automating customer journeys, managing email campaigns, and even handling CRM functions. With its rich automation workflows, email segmentation, and personalized messaging features, ActiveCampaign certainly delivers on the promise of efficient, data-driven marketing.
But as with any platform, it’s a solution that doesn’t necessarily work for everyone. As a result, some businesses are on the lookout for alternatives that could better align with their unique needs, whether it’s for better usability, more customization options, or simply a different pricing structure. In this article, we’ll explore several alternative marketing automation vendors that could offer a more tailored solution, depending on your specific requirements.
- HubSpot: Best overall
- Pipedrive: Best for sales-focused teams
- Zoho CRM: Best for customization and scalability
- Brevo: Best for affordable email and SMS marketing
- Constant Contact: Best for event-based marketing and email simplicity
- Mailchimp: Best for email marketing beginners
- monday CRM: Best for workflow management and collaboration
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ActiveCampaign alternatives comparison chart
Starting price
Key features
$15/month
Available free tierAI-powered automationAll-in-one CRM/marketing platform
$24/month
Strong sales enablementRevenue forecastingEmail sync and templates
$20/user/month
Free tier availableMass email and follow up sequencesGoogle Ads integration
$9/month
Free plan availableFlexible payment optionsRobust texting functionality
$12/month
Event management toolsSocial media integrationRobust contact management
$13/month
Free plan and free trialAffordable email functionalityA/B testing features
$12/seat/month
14-day free trialExtensive collaboration toolsLoads of integration options
Hubspot: Best overall
Pros
- Offers a comprehensive suite for marketing, sales, and customer service.
- Excellent free tier with CRM, email, and live chat tools.
- Scales easily for growing businesses with advanced automation and analytics.
- Strong integrations with hundreds of third-party tools and platforms.
- High-quality user interface with drag-and-drop builders and AI features.
Cons
- Pricing jumps significantly between tiers, especially at the Professional and Enterprise levels.
- Seat-based pricing can get expensive for larger teams.
- Some advanced features (like SMS and transactional email) are only available as paid add-ons.
- Steeper learning curve for users unfamiliar with marketing automation platforms.
Why I chose Hubspot
HubSpot stands out as the best all-in-one sales and marketing platform. It has a broader feature set than ActiveCampaign, has comparable depth in email functionality to Constant Contact and Mailchimp, and can even help you set up web pages and marketing automation. Add in its robust CRM and customer service tools, and it’s easy to see why it’s been a leading name in this space for years. Its free plan offers excellent value for small businesses, while the paid tiers provide scalable solutions for growing teams.
Pipedrive: Best for sales-focused teams
Pros
- Intuitive, user-friendly interface designed specifically for sales teams.
- Visual pipeline makes deal tracking and forecasting simple.
- Built-in automation tools save time on repetitive sales tasks.
- Affordable entry-level pricing with flexibility to scale.
- AI-powered sales assistant and forecasting in higher tiers.
Cons
- Core marketing features (like email campaigns) require paid add-ons.
- No free plan; pricing is per user and can scale quickly with team size.
- Limited customer support options unless you’re on higher-tier plans.
- More focused on sales than full-scale marketing automation.
Why I chose Pipedrive
Pipedrive is ideal for businesses that want a sales-focused CRM with intuitive pipeline management and automation tools. It excels in helping sales teams streamline processes, manage deals, and stay organized with a minimal learning curve. While it doesn’t aim to be a full marketing suite, and tools like Mailchimp and Hubspot offer more marketing features as “included” rather than “add-ons,” what is on offer from Pipedrive can help supercharge sales efforts, and keep efforts aligned across the sales funnel.
Zoho CRM: Best for customization and affordability at scale
Pros
- Generous free plan (up to 3 users).
- Low code, but highly customizable.
- Powerful AI assistant (“Zia”) included in higher tiers.
- Solid “bang for your buck.”
- Seamless integration with other Zoho apps and major third-party tools.
Cons
- Interface can feel complex or dated, especially to first-time users.
- Some features locked behind higher tiers or add-ons (e.g., AI, advanced analytics).
- Customer support is tiered—priority support requires upper-tier plans.
- Learning curve can be steeper for teams new to CRM platforms.
Why I chose Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM stands out for businesses that need deep customization and scalability without breaking the bank. It’s less expensive than Hubspot, offers more features than Pipedrive, and supports remote collaboration just like monday CRM. WIth an extensive suite of CRM features (including workflows), custom modules, AI insights, and sales automation, and for lower costs on average than on competing platforms, there’s a lot to love about Zoho.
Brevo: Best for affordable email plus SMS marketing
Pros
- Generous free plan
- Multichannel support
- Robust marketing automation available on paid plans
- Payment flexibility
- Starter plan includes 24/7 email support
Cons
- Free plan restricted to 300 emails/day
- Core automation and analytics locked behind Business plan
- CRM capabilities are basic compared to full-featured platforms
- Add-ons (no logo, multi-user access) can increase cost
- Custom Enterprise pricing may be beyond small business budgets
Why I chose Brevo
Brevo is an excellent budget-friendly alternative to ActiveCampaign for teams that need solid email, SMS, WhatsApp, and transactional messaging—all without bloated costs. Its flexible pricing model scales with usage, making it ideal for startups and smaller teams that expect to grow. Enterprise-ready security and integrations are available, but if you need a solution today, you can start without breaking the bank.
Constant Contact: Best for event-based marketing and email simplicity
Pros
- User-friendly interface with drag-and-drop email editor
- Extensive library of customizable email templates
- Robust contact management and segmentation tools
- Event marketing features including RSVP and ticketing
- Integration with social media platforms for cross-channel marketing
- 30-day free trial available
Cons
- Pricing can be higher compared to some competitors
- Limited advanced automation features in lower-tier plans
- Some users report a steeper learning curve for advanced features
- Limited reporting and analytics in lower-tier plans
Why I chose Constant Contact
Constant Contact is a strong choice for businesses focused on event-driven marketing and those seeking a straightforward, user-friendly email marketing platform. The intended use case is a bit more narrow than other email and CRM options (e.g. Hubspot or Zoho). But that makes Constant Contact a better fit for some than those other platforms. With a long list of valuable features such as event management and social media integration, it’s ideal for organizations that prioritize in-person interactions, and strong market relations.
Mailchimp: Best for email marketing beginners
Pros
- User-friendly interface with drag-and-drop email editor
- Extensive library of customizable email templates
- Robust contact management and segmentation tools
- Integration with social media platforms for cross-channel marketing
- 30-day free trial available
Cons
- Pricing can be higher compared to some competitors
- Limited advanced automation features in lower-tier plans
- Some users report a steeper learning curve for advanced features
- Limited reporting and analytics in lower-tie
Why I chose Mailchimp
Mailchimp is an excellent choice for businesses just starting with email marketing, or those who want to heavily focus on it. Other tools like Zoho might offer broader tool sets, and solutions like Constant Contact may be better suited to niche use cases, but Mailchimp offers quite a buffet of options if email is what you need (and affordable is what you seek). Add in an intuitive interface, and you’ll be creating and managing email campaigns like a pro in no time.
monday CRM: Best for Workflow Management and Collaboration
Pros
- Highly customizable CRM tailored to your team’s needs
- Seamless integration with other monday.com tools for unified project management
- Visual pipeline management with customizable views
- Automations to streamline repetitive tasks
- Collaboration features like shared boards and real-time updates
- 14-day free trial available
Cons
- Pricing can be higher compared to some competitors
- Steeper learning curve for new users unfamiliar with monday.com
- Some advanced features may require higher-tier plans
- Limited reporting and analytics in lower-tier plans
Why I chose monday CRM
monday CRM stands out for teams seeking a CRM solution that integrates deeply with their project management workflows. As a PM solution, first and foremost, monday brings plenty of tools to the table for teams that need to get organized and stay on task. With those workflow features, lower prices than Hubspot, and plenty of integrations, it’s a broad tool set that won’t break the budget.
Why look for ActiveCampaign alternatives?
Complexity and learning Curve
ActiveCampaign offers a powerful suite of automation and CRM tools, but its depth and range of features can feel overwhelming, especially for newcomers. Many users face a steep learning curve as they navigate the platform’s complex workflows and settings, which can slow down implementation and reduce overall efficiency for teams without dedicated marketing automation expertise.
Pricing concerns for growing businesses
While ActiveCampaign’s pricing is competitive for smaller teams, costs can escalate quickly as your contact list grows or you add advanced features. Based on contact volume and feature sets, the tiered pricing model can make budgeting unpredictable, potentially forcing growing businesses to seek more flexible or affordable options to manage their marketing spend. And if you’re not currently leveraging the AI and automation features, you’re probably paying for more than you need.
Limited visual editing tools
Users looking for intuitive, drag-and-drop visual editors may find ActiveCampaign’s design tools somewhat limited. Compared to competitors with more robust and user-friendly visual email and automation builders, ActiveCampaign can feel less accessible for marketers who prioritize ease of use and quick campaign creation without heavy reliance on technical skills.
Overkill for smaller companies
ActiveCampaign’s extensive feature set is ideal for businesses with complex marketing needs, but for small businesses or solopreneurs with simpler requirements, it can be more than they actually need. This can lead to unnecessary complexity and wasted resources when a lighter, more focused platform better serves their goals.
Customer support issues
Some users report challenges with ActiveCampaign’s customer support, including slow response times and limited availability depending on the pricing plan. This can be a significant drawback for businesses that rely heavily on prompt assistance, especially during critical campaign launches or technical issues.
Methodology
To identify the best alternatives to ActiveCampaign, we evaluated each vendor across key criteria essential for effective marketing and email automation. These included platform performance and reliability, data security standards, pricing transparency and flexibility, user-friendliness and learning curve, customer support quality and availability, and third-party integrations’ breadth and depth. Our goal was to highlight solutions that balance robust features with accessibility and value, ensuring a fit for various business sizes and marketing needs.
FAQs
Is there a free alternative to ActiveCampaign?
Yes, several vendors offer free tiers with solid email marketing and basic automation features. Brevo and Mailchimp are popular options that provide free plans suitable for small businesses or those just getting started.
Which tool is the best for agencies?
HubSpot is a top choice for agencies due to its comprehensive sales, marketing, and CRM features, along with robust reporting and client management capabilities. monday CRM also appeals to agencies needing customizable workflows and collaboration tools.
What’s the cheapest ActiveCampaign competitor?
Brevo and Zoho CRM typically offer some of the most affordable entry-level plans with essential features, making them good options for budget-conscious businesses. Pricing varies depending on contacts and feature needs, so comparing based on your specific requirements is important.
Can I import my automations from ActiveCampaign?
Most platforms allow you to import contacts and basic data from ActiveCampaign, but due to differences in platform architecture, automation workflows often need to be rebuilt manually. Some vendors provide migration support or tools to ease this process.
